Community deworming alleviates geohelminth-induced immune hyporesponsiveness

Abstract

Significance Chronic helminth infections are accompanied by profound immune regulation. In humans, helminth-induced immune reactivity has not been thoroughly investigated in trial settings. We assessed the effect of anthelmintic treatment on immune responses in a whole community in a placebo-controlled randomized controlled trial. We show increased immune responses to helminth-specific as well as unrelated antigens, in parallel with decreased expression of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), which is a molecule involved in putting the brake on immune activation. Deworming seems to lead to decreased immunoregulation and increased immune responsiveness. These findings are of importance regarding the suboptimal vaccine responses in helminth-endemic areas and also in anticipating the future rise in inflammatory diseases when helminth infections are increasingly controlled.

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